The prevalence of reusable containers, or more specifically reusable beverage bottles, has steadily increased in recent years as consumers are more conscious about the environmental impact of disposable items. To clean most currently available reusable bottles, the cap and the bottle are washed and dried separately. Two problems arise with this process. The first is that it is frequently inconvenient to position the bottle in an inverted position to promote draining while also allowing circulating air to dry the inside of the bottle. If a bottle is merely balanced on its mouth upon a flat surface such as a counter, table or shelf, all ventilation is blocked. The second problem is that the bottle cap is separated from the bottle, either during drying or during storage, and often misplaced.
To avoid the potential loss of a bottle cap, a user often places a bottle cap on a still-moist bottle. Closing a bottle prior to drying can cause mildew, resulting in unpleasant smells and tastes that taint the flavor of future contents.
The prior art includes systems or holders which help to supports bottles in an inverted position. However, the prior art does not disclose a cap which both supports a bottle in a draining position and creates an air-tight seal. Further, the prior art does not solve the problems of either losing a cap or re-capping a bottle which is not completely dry. Once a bottle cap is misplaced, the bottle is useless as a device to carry fluids and is often discarded, defeating the goal of a reusable bottle.
The present invention seeks to solve these problems by combining the functionality of a bottle cap with a bottle stand which stays attached to the bottle during both drying and storage.